This is the time of year when the graduation announcements come in droves. Friends, relatives, friends of friends, co-workers’ children, etc. etc. etc. For most, I just send a graduation card. Why should I dole out money to a co-worker’s kid who I’ve met once when the kid was nine? All of a sudden the kid is 18 and a high school graduate and I’m supposed to buy him a gift or send him money.
My husband’s niece just graduated high school. She lives in Atlanta and she sent us an announcement. Or, to be more precise, her mother sent us an announcement. The kid is pleasant enough, is going to a bible college in the fall, but since I married BP almost seven years ago, I’ve seen her once. I bought a cute card at Target and enclosed an “atta girl!” sentiment along with a check for twenty-five dollars. I thought it was adequate, but BP (WHOSE SIGNATURE ON THE CARD I HAD TO FORGE BY THE WAY) said, “You should have sent $50.” FIFTY!!?? wtf? For high school? I thought $25 was generous for a high school gift. True or false?

V is for Vicodin

Since LP’s surgery my days are all mixed up. Everyday seems either like a Saturday or a Sunday. Today we have an appointment with his general practioner—just to keep him updated. I’m taking all of LP’s prescriptions and see if we can ditch some. Since he’s pooping regularly (I’ll pause here so you can applaud!) I don’t think he needs the stool softener anymore.
His doctor at Riley said that if he can manage his pain, that I should wean him off the Vicodin and just give him ibuprofen. I’ve been doing that. Liam has been saying that all food tastes “funny” and it “pisses me off!” Sigh. But yesterday he didn’t have any Vicodin and the chow tasted better, so I wonder if that’s a side effect of the V. Anyone know?
He’s also taking a diuretic and a pill that retains potassium because the diuretic makes it go bye-bye in his system. He’ll probably still have to take both of them until next month when we see his surgeon again.
He really has made a remarkable recovery. How do I know this? Because he’s tired of being at home, wants to get out and walk around the mall and is back to playing the stupid idiotic X Box game that he likes. I have a summer reading list for him, so I’m sure he’ll loooooove it when we start on that!
I’m thinking about allowing him to accompany blu on her trip to Greece. I’m sure they’ll both cherish that trip!
I saw Respighi made a mean comment on my cat picture—but I’m glad to see her. I haven’t seen evidence of her existence for a long while.

What's in bloom

I think these are called lollipop lillies--or something like that. I should have marked them. Anyway they're nice.

cat on a catalog

Here is the cutest kitty in the world making herself comfortable on my living room coffee table, sitting on a plant catalog. She got a brand new "safe cat" pink collar with a pink bell. She's stylin'.

My favorite 1987 era female detective

I just finished Sue Grafton’s S is for Silence. As you know Grafton’s alphabet books feature insurance detective Kinsey Milhone. I really wish Bert still read these blogs because I’d like his take on this installment. I loved it. It was one of Grafton’s better ones. Most of Kinsey’s adventures are enjoyable (except the M or P one—I forget now. But one of those really stank)

The main character in S isn’t Kinsey, it’s a dead woman named Violet Sullivan. She wondered off in 1953, and her emotionally blotto daughter Daisy hires Kinsey to see what happened to her. The book alternates between 1953 and Kinsey’s present day of 1987.

What else did I like about S? No mention of Kinsey’s hack job-of-a-haircut. No mention of her all purpose black dress. Grafton does, however, again (and again) remind us that Kinsey loves a quarter pounder with cheese more than life itself.

This Kinsey Milhone case gets an A-